This invention generally relates to mechanisms for the quick release of tension in lading strapping that is secured about cargo, more particularly to self-resetting, generally vertically operable quick-release mechanism having a housing directly secured to a railway freight car within which is generally vertically movable an anchor assembly having a lading tie anchor to which the lading strapping is attached, the anchor assembly being automatically locked within the housing by the operation of gravity to maintain tension in the lading strapping by a snubber mechanism during transport of the cargo and being unlockable when desired to quickly relieve the tension prior to removal of the lading strapping.
Various commodities are shipped in open freight carrying cars, requiring that such cargo be tied down for safe transport over long distances and rough terrain or tracks, such commodities including, for example, logs, lumber, plaster board, and large bulky items such as machinery. In some instances, the lading straps, which typically are steel bands, are secured to bolts, U-brackets, hooks, or the like that are simply welded to the railway car, and the strapping is typically removed by severing or otherwise unfastening the strapping which then has a tendency to spring around the cargo and fly up, posing a possible danger to workmen and/or the cargo.
Often, such lading strapping systems incorporate snubbing devices to develop and maintain tension within the lading strapping while the cargo is being transported, but at times these devices are not structured so as to be easily and quickly releasable, with the result that workers typically sever the lading straps while they are still under substantial tension around the cargo, whereupon they will usually spring up and fly about.
In an effort to enhance the ease of operation and improve the safety of these types of devices, quick-release mechanisms have been provided whereby the tension under which the lading straps are compressed can be substantially eliminated before the strapping is removed or severed. The types of quick-release mechanisms that are heretofore known are typically of a type which are mounted such that one end thereof is generally even with the deck level, often within troughs at the edge of the deck, and such that the bulk of the device projects above the deck level when it is under tension from the strapping. Usually such devices will be designed such that, when they are not in use for tensioning the strapping around cargo during transport thereof, they are supposed to lie within the trough for storage. It sometimes happens, however, that such devices are not properly laid within their respective troughs, but lie at least in part on the floor or bed of the freight car, at which position they can be readily damaged by lift trucks while the cargo is being unloaded from the freight car, or they can pose an obstacle for workers on the freight car. Even when such devices are properly stored in their troughs when not in use, they are subject to being damaged by rattling about within the troughs or to bouncing out of the troughs as the car is transported over rough terrain or track while they are not under tension from cargo strapping.
Additionally, quick-release mechanisms of this general type are somewhat labor intensive in that a workman must manually reset each device whereby it can be made operable by locking the snubber unit into place before applying the lading strapping and tensioning the strapping around the cargo.
By the present invention, these various difficulties and problems are substantially removed by providing a self-resetting type of quick-release mechanism that is rigidly mounted directly to the side of the freight trailer or car, the device having a structure such that tension that is developed within lading strapping secured over cargo in opposition to snubber means is quickly and readily released by moving the device to an unlocked position, after which the strapping can be safely removed or severed, at which time the quick-release mechanism automatically falls down by gravity to reset its locked condition, which is free and clear of the trailer or car deck, the device thus being locked or reset for subsequent application of strapping tension or for transport of the freight car over rough terrain when it is not in use to anchor lading strapping over cargo, whereby the device remains safely tucked away to avoid interference with lift trucks or workmen.
It is accordingly a general object of this invention to provide an improved quick-release device for anchoring lading strapping.
Another object of the present invention is an improved lading strapping quick-release device which is self-resetting or automatically locking.
Another object of the present invention is an improved quick-release mechanism for tensioning lading strapping which includes locking means to lessen workman labor by being automatically reset when its snubber mechanism drops in the housing by the force of gravity.
Another object of this invention is an improved quick-release device for anchoring lading strapping having a self-reset condition at a location generally flush with the floor of the trailer or car.